The present invention relates to a sample processing container for accommodating samples therein to supply them to a variety of processes, such as chemical processing.
For the microscopic observation, the samples are usually subjected to chemical processing in advance of the observation. In this chemical processing, the samples are handled while being accommodated in a processing container for the samples in viewpoints of prevention of damage and missing, clearness in classification, etc. The processing container has a container body called. xe2x80x9ccassettexe2x80x9d in general and a lid body for the container body.
In one process carried out on the last stage of the sample processing, the container accommodating the sample is dipped into molten paraffin of approx. 60xc2x0 C. in order to allow paraffin to permeate the sample.
After completing this process, the lid body is opened and the sample is taken out of the container. Hitherto, this operation has been carried out by means of an operator""s hand. However, the operator was apt to have a hard time to handle the container for its hotness. Although it is expected to prepare an exclusive tool for opening the lid, it would be also trouble to fit the device to the container and furthermore, the total cost would be increased.
With respect to the above, the object of the present invention is to provide a sample processing container which allows the lid body to be easily opened by the operator""s performance of simple manipulation without using any exclusive tool.
In order to accomplish the above object, the present invention provides a sample processing container which includes: a container body having an accommodating part for accommodating a sample therein, a front engagement part arranged at a front of the accommodating part and a rear engagement part arranged at a rear of the accommodating part; and a lid body whereas at least a part thereof is curved, the lid body having a front side and a rear side, the rear side of the lid body being provided with a front engagement member which is engageable with the rear engagement part of the container body and the front side of the lid body being provided with a rear engagement member which is engageable with the front engagement part of the container body; wherein engagement of the front and rear engagement members of the lid body with the front and rear engagement parts of the container body respectively allows the lid body to be fitted to the container body and causes the lid body to be elastically deformed into either a plane state or a reduced-curved state in which a degree of curvature of the lid body is reduced; and wherein releasing the engagement of the front engagement member of the lid body with the front engagement part of the container body allows the lid body to be restored elastically, so that the front side of the lid body is separated from the container body.
The present invention also provides a sample processing container which includes: a container body having an accommodating part for accommodating a sample therein, a front engagement part arranged at a front of the accommodating part and a rear engagement part arranged at a rear of the accommodating part; and a lid body having a base part provided with a rear engagement member engageable with the rear engagement part of the container body, and first and second movable parts connected in parallel to a front side of the base part with respect to a left-and-right direction of the sample processing container; wherein the first movable part is provided with a front engagement member engageable with the front engagement part of the container body, and the second movable part is provided with a disengagement member acting on the front engagement part of the container body thereby to release an engagement between the front engagement part and the front engagement member; and wherein the container body and the lid body are configured so that: the front engagement member engages with the front engagement part under condition that the first movable part is deformed elastically; and when an engagement of the front engagement member with the front engagement part is released by the disengagement member, the first movable part is restored elastically so that the front engagement member is apart from the front engagement part of the container body.
The present invention also provides a sample processing container which includes: a container body having an accommodating part for accommodating a sample therein, a front engagement part arranged at a front of the accommodating part and a rear engagement part arranged at a rear of the accommodating part; and a lid body having a base part provided with a rear engagement member engageable with the rear engagement part of the container body, and immovable and movable parts connected in parallel to a front side of the base part with respect to a left-and-right direction, the immovable part being substantially immovable to the base part, the movable part being movable to the base part, the immovable part being provided with a front engagement member which is engageable with the front engagement part of the container body; wherein the container body and the lid body are configured so that: upon movement of the immovable part toward the front engagement part of the container body, the immovable part engages with the front engagement part of the container body under condition that the movable part is deformed elastically; and when an engagement of the front engagement member of the immovable part with the front engagement part of the container body is released by the disengagement member, the movable part is restored elastically so that the front engagement member of the immovable part is apart from the front engagement part of the container body.
The present invention is described in detail referring the attached drawings in which the preferred embodiments are illustrated.